The present invention relates generally to the field of pet care, and, in particular, to a new and useful pet ear lifting apparatus that helps reduce ear problems in pets, particularly dogs with floppy ears that tend to cover the dogs ear canals.
Dogs with long or floppy ears, such as poodles, collies and many other breeds, are prone to ear infections due to the warm, dark, moist environment created inside their ear canals by the ears that cover the openings to the canals. This environment advances bacterial and fungal, e.g. yeast, growth. Symptoms of a yeast infection include intense itching, scaly, oozing skin, head shaking, redness, swelling and ear discharge. Yeast infections also have a tendency to spread to other parts of the body.
Bacterial infections occur in a similar manner as yeast fungus so that when the conditions are right, the bacteria grows at a rapid rate and faster than the dog's immune system can control. Symptoms of a dog with a bacterial ear infection include head shaking, head tilting, discharge, redness, odor and swelling of the ear canal. If left untreated, the infection will progress, affecting the inner ear. When this occurs, the dog's vestibular system can be affected, causing balance problems, even nausea, vomiting and other symptoms similar to those experienced by a human who is suffering from vertigo.
Preventative measures include daily cleaning of the dog's ears using a good quality ear cleaning solution and proper ear cleaning techniques to remove any moisture, yeast or bacteria. Removing hair from the dog's ears will also help as will as removing hair from in and around the ear canal to improve air flow.
The present invention avoids these measures by reducing the moist dark environment in the ear canals simply by slightly lifting the base of the ears away for the dog's head.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,942 to Williams discloses a device for protecting the ears of animals, especially long-haired dogs, from becoming soiled by the animal's food while the animal is eating. The device provides a rolled tubular member for containing an elongated part of each ear, and a pair of straps connected between upper and lower parts of the tubular members for keeping the members and the parts of the ears therein, extended out horizontally and therefore away for the pet's food.
The shape and placement of the tubular members appear to cover the openings into the dog's ear canals so that the undesirable, bacteria and fungus growing environment is maintained. The device is also rather unsightly and not appropriate for keeping on the pet at any times other that meal times.
Also see U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,961 to Barnes for an adjustable ear support and U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,532 to Sjölin for an animal bandage device.
A simple, inexpensive and effecting apparatus for reducing ear problems in floppy eared pets remains.